Laws set for return to government

Former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister David Laws is set for a swift return to government, Prime Minister David Cameron indicated today.

Asked if he would like Mr Laws back in his administration, Mr Cameron told reporters at a Westminster lunch: "The short answer is, yes, and soon."

Mr Laws resigned as Chief Secretary to the Treasury only weeks into the coalition after an expenses wrangle involving his gay partner.

The MP had claimed for rent paid to his partner in contravention of parliamentary rules. A report from the parliamentary commissioner for standards John Lyon giving his verdict is expected soon.

There has been widespread speculation that Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wanted Mr Laws back in office, after he was widely praised for his initial work on the Government's Whitehall cuts package.

The Prime Minister did not expand on his brief response about the Lib Dem MP's future.

Mr Cameron also said he was trying "to run a radical Government rather than a managerial government".

He added: "You only have a mandate for a relatively short period of time."

The Prime Minister cited the Government's compensation package for Guantanamo Bay detainees as an example of a decision that could only be taken at the start of an administration.

"I actually took a decision individually. I just thought it was vitally important that we sort this mess out," he said.

"It didn't need to be done but if you were going to do it you had to do it right at the beginning of the parliament."

He declared: "This is a genuinely radical Government trying to transform our country."